810.20 Defense/9–544
Draft Memorandum by the Acting Director, Office of American Republic Affairs (Armour), on Forthcoming Bilateral Staff Conversations28
It is expected that bilateral staff conversations will be held in the near future between military and naval officers of the United States and the other American republics except Argentina for the purpose of exchanging views in exploratory and preliminary fashion concerning hemispheric military collaboration in the post-war period. The Department of State, through its embassies in the other American republics, has been making arrangements for these conversations.
[Here follow several paragraphs on the history of the proposal.]
Purposes
The purposes of the forthcoming staff conversations may be outlined as follows:
- 1.
- The fundamental purpose of preparing for the negotiation of new agreements between the United States and the other American republics covering technical military collaboration and the furnishing of military matériel. These agreements would be designed to replace the present Lend-Lease agreements, which must expire with the Lend-Lease Act, and would have as their aim the continuance of hemispheric military collaboration in the post-war period. An inter-American system with well-integrated machinery for military collaboration would be able to play an important role in a world security organization and, by providing for effective hemisphere security, furnish a second line of defense for the United States.
- 2.
- The determination of the type and strength of the armed forces to be maintained after the war by the other American republics which would be adequate to continue the inter-American military collaboration referred to above. The successful accomplishment of this purpose would prevent the uncontrolled acquisition of armaments by the [Page 119] other American republics and possible unwelcome consequences arising therefrom.
- 3.
- The adoption by the other American republics of standardized armament equipment based upon that of the United States. It is hoped that this may be brought about by sales of armaments to the other American republics only by the United States. It would be this Government’s concern to assure the minimum adequate supply of armament on terms which would enable the United States to recover some of its financial investment and which also would be within a range acceptable to the other American republics. Sale of surplus war property to the other American republics should be considered in this connection.
- 4.
- The opening of United States training establishments and other technical educational facilities to members of the armed forces of the other American republics. Such training would be directed to the end of integrating the armed forces of the other American republics more closely with those of the United States, thereby increasing the effectiveness of inter-American collaboration in the post-war period.
- 5.
- The maintenance in the other American republics of United States army, naval, and air missions and the possibility of their establishment in countries which do not now have them. In the further development of hemispheric military collaboration these missions must obviously play an important role as one instrument by which the armed forces of the hemisphere may be integrated. Specifically they would be designed to replace German and Italian missions maintained in many republics before the war and to combat the ideology which may have been in some instances instilled in the armed forces to which these missions were attached.
It should be emphasized that the subjects outlined above will, in the forthcoming staff conversations, be pursued in an exploratory manner only and without the conclusion of even informal agreements or commitments at this time.
- Addressed to Assistant Secretary of State Breckinridge Long.↩